Monmouth Offers MAP Replacement Grant for Students

The Illinois Monetary Award Program or better known as the MAP grant helps several Illinois students financially every year with school, but funds for that grant has run short, causing some students to miss out. One college is giving students a second chance.

Freshman John Eischen knew right away he wanted to go to Monmouth College.

“You get the feel that people are a lot friendlier on campus when it’s a smaller environment,” says John.

That’s not the only thing that drew him in, so did Monmouth’s music program.

“One of the things that I like about music is how expressive it can be and how much it can help you,” says John.

Getting to where he is today hasn’t been easy. John, along with other students, got the bad news that MAP funding has run out.

“It was a very serious problem that I wasn’t sure how I was going to solve because it was about five thousand dollars worth of money that I wasn’t able to come up with,” says John.

Funding for the MAP grant is supposed to last until August, but ran out this March.

“We know that there are good students out there who just didn’t have an opportunity to apply for that money,” says Monmouth’s Vice President of Enrollment Management, Tim Keefauver.

Monmouth started the MAP Replacement Grant last year, “In today’s cost structure that’s an important amount of money to people who typically make about $70,000 a year as a family income and below although some can make up to $100,000 and get that grant,” says Tim.

Thanks to donors the college is able to give $4,720 to students like John.

“I wanted to cry. I was very happy,” says John.

John says because of the replacement grant he’s able to pursue his dreams, “Without that grant I might not have been able to come here.”

The grant will be given to Illinois residents and students who would be eligible to receive a MAP grant.